Bass of the Week: Nelson Instruments Coquette Bass

This week we check out the Nelson Instruments Coquette Bass, a neck-through bass that blends elements of retro styles. The quarter-sawn hard maple neck is flanked with basswood body wings, which the company says offers enhanced sustain, rigidity, and projection.

The bass comes in single and dual pickup configurations. The pickups are Nelson’s Bass Chiefs mounted to the gold-anodized aluminum pickguard. While the oversized pickguard is aesthetically pleasing, it also helps to reject unwanted interference that causes hum. In addition to volume and tone knobs, the Coquette is fitted with “Insta-tone,” a 3-way switch with deep bass, normal, or treble settings. The two pickup configuration adds a pickup selector switch on the lower horn.